BY JOAN-MARIE JEFFERSON / VN STAFF WRITER
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook – oh, my!
Much of what we do involves social media in some way or form.
When on social media, you have to be mindful of what you post, who you follow and who follows you.
One of my favorite social media sites is Instagram.
On Instagram, you can post pictures and videos, like and comment on others’ posts and send direct messages.
My social media horror story involves some weird direct messages from people I did not know.
Some of these messages were about getting a job and others were about starting relationships.
The posts asked about becoming a “sugar baby.”
A few of my close friends got this same message, too.
When I saw the messages, I used one of the tools available: the block button.
This hides anything unwanted from getting to you on social media whether that is posts, comments, videos or even direct messages.
I think anyone would feel caught off guard receiving these messages.
Safety is important, especially being on a college campus and being open to the public as well.
I felt scared for my own safety because on my social media there are indications of where I go to school.
Because of this, I had to make quite a few changes to my social media presence.
I turned off the sharing of my location and I changed my bio header and removed a mention of where I went to school.
This online encounter made me evaluate a few things.
When on social media, we should all keep a few safety tips in mind.
One important tip is to remember to be your own person.
Sometimes we can become easily influenced by what we see on social media.
Try not to let friends’ or strangers’ pressure you into being someone you aren’t or to fit into an idea of social perfection.
Remember to be nice.
You have to watch what you say and post.
Cyber bullying is a real issue and it can even involve jail time.
We all need to think about what we post.
With some social media, when we post, it never goes away.
The delete button is not a permanent fix.
Employers often look at what you post so it’s possible to mess up your future.
You have to read between the lines as well.
Some people can be mischievous on social media.
If you have a weird gut feeling about something, honor it.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
